Dissonance
by Ellie13x
Summary: Dissonance- harsh, discordant, lack of harmony. D.G. Crane is young, in love, and has a great career ahead of her. So when her husband starts disappearing into Arkham Asylum for days at a time and a bizarre masked man breaks into her apartment, she can't help but think her life isn't as perfect as they say it is. Third in the Dal Niente series.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Jonathan Crane (sadly) nor Batman. I don't claim to own them. I don't make any profit off of this. I'm just having fun.

**Prologue**

It was cold, really cold. Not the cold that made your skin pimple and your breath show, but the cold that seeped into your very bones and made you wonder if you would ever be warm again.

I wandered my way down the old road, the sunlight filtering through the trees. The pavement under my feet was cracked and worn, grass coming through. On both sides of road were grassy hills and the sky was a deep blue with not a cloud in sight. Despite the cold, it was perfect.

What was I doing here? And where the fuck am I? This definitely wasn't Gotham.

There was a park lines with benches with strange shapes next to them further down the road. The closer I got, I was able to see that the weird shape were baby strollers next to the benches.

They weren't like any stroller I had seen, though admittedly I hadn't seen many. These strollers were red. Just altogether red, like someone had gotten bored one day and figured painting strollers was an awesome idea. They were empty and there wasn't a person in sight, even though the swings were still swinging. I moved closer to the first stroller and looked around before touching it. The paint was warm and sticky, my fingers came back the color of blood.

Oh my fucking god.

I looked around. "Hello?!" My voice echoed, but there was no response. The place was just... empty. The swings came to an abrupt halt and a shiver crawled up my spine. "Fuck this."

There was a loud creak behind me and I jumped, turning. To my left, the carousel started turning as if there were invisible hands pushing it. I just stood there, awestruck, as it moved faster and faster. A high pitch laughter threw me out of my thoughts and made fear pulse in my chest. So, I did the only thing I thought of.

I fucking ran.

My feet hitting the pavement was the only sound as I pushed myself to run faster down the road. My heart was hammering in my ears and I fought the urge to cry for help. Who the hell was going to help? The Ghostbusters? Fat chance of finding Bill Murray close by.

A small brick bridge came into my line of sight and I pushed harder and ran straight through the dark tunnel underneath, not even pausing until I came out the other side.

I stopped for breath, leaning my hands on my knees. I closed my eyes and ran my hands over my face. I hadn't run that far in ages. It wasn't until I had opened my eyes that I realized there was something very, very wrong.

It was dark now, almost pitch black. It had been daylight just a minute ago. I turned around and went to look through the tunnel, but it was gone. It's replacement was the same road, but it was too dark to see what lay a few feet further down.

"What the fuck?!" I grabbed my head, pulling at my hair. "This can't be real. This can't be real. This can't be fucking real!"

"Oh, but it is." I jumped, a yelp coming out of my throat. I turned quickly, my head swimming. What was now in front of me only cemented that I belonged locked away in Arkham for a very long time.

It was me. Well, sort of. Things were off, like if someone had shattered a mirror and tried to piece it back together. It was... odd. Warped, almost. The auburn hair was a shade darker than what it was on me and a few inches shorter. The reflection's eyes were slightly off, too. Brighter and wider than my own. I looked down and my hand flew to my stomach. The reflection was pregnant, there wasn't a doubt about it. I looked down at my own flat stomach and swallowed thickly. What the hell is going on?

"This is your nightmare, D.G. You tell me."

I glared at... myself? Yep, I'm headed straight to crazy town. I'll have to remember to get Jonathan a souvenir. "How the hell am I supposed to know?" Now I'm literally talking to myself.

"Your husband runs the asylum, do you really think he would put you away?" The reflection rubbed her stomach affectionately. Fuck, I felt sick. "Do you miss it? I imagine you do."

I stared at her face that was _oh so wrong_ just to keep myself from glancing at her distended midsection again. "I have no idea what you're talking about." I tried to repress a shiver that raced down my spine.

She smiled at me, revealing rows of sharpened teeth. "Oh, but I think you do. Why else would you still carry around that old sonogram? You want what I have. And no wonder, the way your pregnancy ended. _All that blood..._" Her smile was wicked. "You can't give Jonathan what he wants, why don't you let someone who can?"

"I don't want anything you have." I glared at her. "I don't."

"So what do you want then?"

I looked down at my wedding ring that was still sparkling, even in the dim light. "I want to go home."

The reflection chuckled, causing me to look up. I backed off. Her features had changed, morphed grotesquely. Her already sharp teeth were now long, her eyes drawn into her skull. The veins in her face had become more prominent. "You don't know what you ask!"

I screamed as I felt claws digging into my flesh.

* * *

**A/N: Welcome to Dissonance! We are finally into the Batman Begins story line with this one. I hope you guys are all still interested.**

**And, if you are wondering, yes, Interlude is finished. No, you didn't miss a chapter. When I uploaded, I actually forgot that I had planned on that being the last chapter D'oh! So I apologize, that was an eff up on my part.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the short prologue! As always, my Tumblr link is on my profile, so feel free to check it out.**


	2. 01

**01**

**God Called In Sick Today**

The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane was once a beautiful building. Even after years of decay, it still held a certain degree of elegance. It was a large complex that sprawled over many acres of the bad part of Gotham. In fact, if it wasn't for Arkham, the Narrows would have been overrun years ago.

The Asylum had gone through many power changes over the years. Numerous Directors attempted to control the madness, to make it a functional part of Gotham. Most of them ended up patients themselves.

The current Director, Doctor Jonathan Crane, had put a lot of work into the place. Bricks and mortar had been replaced, new technology brought in. The hospital was finally a place that Gotham could be proud of, a shiny example of the city's progress.

There hadn't been an escape in months. More and more convicts were found to be mentally incompetent and were safely being rehabilitated. Better psychiatric services meant a brighter future for everyone and Gotham was reveling in it.

However, there were many things Gotham didn't know. Arkham Asylum had it's fair share of secrets Like mold, they grew untethered in the dark. And no one knew Arkham's secrets better than Jonathan Crane.

The smell of urine was pungent in the stale air of the asylum basement. Water dripped down the gray brick walls to the slimy concrete floor. It was a large expanse though it was cluttered with old office equipment and medical supplies. In the middle of the room, a thin man convulsed on a dirty hospital bed. Sweat glistened on his unwashed skin and gathered in his standard gray Arkham uniform. His muscles stretched and retracted. His lips were open in a soundless scream and his only the whites of his eyes were visible.

Jonathan Crane stood a good distance away from the bed, arms crossed over his thin chest. He contrasted sharply with the surroundings in a sharp fitted black business suit with a green tie. His eyes narrowed, the bright blue irises standing out in stark relief against his pale skin. He ran a long fingered hand through dark hair before letting out a sigh.

"How long has he been like this?"

A tall man in nurses scrubs stepped out from the shadows. The dull lighting cast a shine on his bald scalp. "A little over half an hour, Doctor. I paged you as soon as I noticed." His voice was a deep grumble.

The doctor frowned. "You have administered the toxin?"

"No, Doctor. Never without your permission. His last dose was 15 hours ago."

Jonathan reached out and the orderly handed him a thick chart and he opened the manilla folder. "Miles Townshend. Rape, assault, armed robbery. Not exactly a great loss for humanity." His voice was calm and thoughtful despite the noise of the man seizing on the mattress. "The problem lies in this... reaction. We don't want it on a mass scale. Is it an allergy? Does the toxin lower the immune system?"

"You want me to end it, Doctor Crane?" The other man stepped closer to the bed, his brown eyes locked on his boss.

"Give him another dose, record the reaction, and then put him down. Make it look like a suicide, Mr. Harms. It will be easier on all of us." Jonathan Crane stepped back and pushed silver his glasses up. "Use the injection, not the vapor."

"Yes, sir. If it's not above me saying, you should go home and see your wife. You've been here thirty-two hours, Doctor."

Jonathan turned back to Nurse Harms. "Has she called?"

"Not for you, sir. She called for Doctor Quinzel."

They both knew what that meant. Jonathan almost smirked. Dahlia was angry.

* * *

It was still dark outside when I woke up. The dream lingered in my conscious and made shivers race down my spine. It also didn't help that I woke up alone, yet again.

I sat up and checked my phone. No missed calls and my battery was on it's last leg. Groaning to myself, I leaned over so I was half on the bed, half off and reached for the thin white charger. _My name is Dahlia Grace Crane and I will be preforming the balancing act this evening._

"What are you doing?"

I fell off the bed.

I squeaked as I hit the dark wood floor. Two socked feet entered my line of sight and I glared up at my husband. He looked impeccable as always in dark dress pants and a white oxford shirt that was unbuttoned. That made me hate him all the more.

I sat up and ignored the pale hand that was being offered. "Well, it's nice to see that you remember where your home is, Crane."

Jonathan sighed and sat down on the bed so he was sitting behind me. "Don't be like that, D.G."

I want to stand up but as soon as I did, Jonathan pulled me down onto his lap. I pulled away halfheartedly. "Ugh, let go. I'm still angry at you and I have to meet the DA in a couple hours."

"I was in the middle of a break through with one of the patients, D.G. I couldn't leave." My husband leaned his pale forehead against mine. "I apologize. I didn't even realize how long I had been there until Harms told me to leave."

"Well, at least one of you knows how to tell time." I scowled at him but accepted his kiss anyways. Even after eight years of being together and three years of marriage, I still couldn't stay mad at him. I missed him too much when he was working. "But you picked a horrible day to choose to come home. I seriously have to meet Finch in, like, two hours."

Hot kisses trailed down my neck and I fought the sigh that was trying to escape. Of course Jonathan Crane missed nothing and he sent me a smug smirk. "Call in."

"Tempting." I pushed back a little so I was still on his lap but I could see his face properly. "But I can't. I need the publicity to attract clients for the Symphony. Deidre's been on my ass for a week about how I haven't been bringing them enough attention, how my music isn't the right thing for the group, if it wasn't for Lyons she would fire me..." I trailed off and shrugged my shoulders.

"They're all lucky to have you." Jonathan said, his voice adamant. "You could have been on your own. Lyons had a record company interested in you but you chose the symphony, against both our council."

I gave him a small smile and pecked his full lips with mine. "Being a part of the symphony has been my dream since I was a little girl. I wasn't ready to give that up because the director is a cunt."

"Language." It was more of a habit that Jonathan actually scolding me now. He knew he was never going to break my cursing. "If you absolutely have to leave me on my day off, I understand."

"Shut up." I stuck my tongue out at him and laughed when he mimed dropping me. "How about we get dinner afterward?"

"That sounds agreeable. Maybe I should catch a few hours of sleep anyway."

Jonathan did sound tired. Shadows were under his blue eyes making them seem darker than what they were. The shadows also served to show that his skin had lost some of it's color from days of being in the old asylum. "Yeah, you look pretty awful." I slid off his lap and stretched. "I'm gonna get a shower and get ready to go. Sleep and I'll meet you back here when I'm done meeting Finch."

He nodded. "Just... be careful. I don't trust Finch."

"Of course not. He's a lawyer." I pressed my lips to his in a short kiss. "Get some sleep. I'll see you in a bit."

The meeting with Finch went as expected. He wanted something fun and upbeat for his reelection campaign and I agreed just to get Deidre off my back. He was nice enough though.

I was walking out of the city hall when I heard a voice call my name from behind me. A woman was jogging to keep up my strides, her brunette hair shining in the early morning sunlight. "You're Dahlia Crane, right? Doctor Crane's wife."

"And you are?" I nodded, a little perturbed at the fact that a woman I definitely did not know somehow knew me.

The woman stuck out her hand and smiled at me. "Rachel Dawes. Assistant to the DA."

"How can I help you, Miss Dawes?" I shook her hand gingerly.

"I actually stopped you to ask you about your husband."

Now I really did frown. "What about him?"

"How long have you known him, Mrs. Crane?" Her voice was hesitant, like she knew she was on thin ice. Which she really, really was.

"Eight years. May I ask why you feel you have the right to question me, Miss Dawes?" Wow, was I channeling Jonathan right now or what?

"Your husband has put three of Carmine Falcone's thugs in Arkham in the past two weeks, Mrs. Crane, none of which had any record of mental instability."

I tried not to show it but my biological Uncle's name made ice shoot through my system. What the fuck was that all about? I schooled my face to a polite smile. "Maybe being around Falcone has made them unstable?"

"If you know anything, Mrs. Crane, we can help. We can hide you, he will never know you told us." Her face was kind and full of hope but I couldn't help the anger that pulsed in my chest.

Who did this woman think she was? Talking to me like I was some sort of victim, and I am never a victim. "You're fishing, Miss Dawes." I smiled blandly and adjusted my shoulder bag. "If you are worried about the way my husband runs the asylum, feel free to talk to him about it. Now, if you'll excuse me."

I didn't bother looking back as I pushed the doubt down in my brain. I had Jonathan was waiting for me.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys like this chapter! I'm really excited for it to be done.**

**Thanks to _Silent-Sarcasm99_, _Pirate-Girl1017_, _breaktheradarr_, _AlainHotCoco1_, _Erik-is-my-angel1234_, and _Decepticon-silverstreak_ for Dissonance's first reviews! You're all awesome! And thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, etc. We've got a long way to go yet with this piece and I hope you guys will enjoy it as much as I do.**


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